Conflict of Interest
by ImADynamo
Summary: Stabler is back! How will Benson react to his surprise return? Can he win her over, or has too much hurt and time elapsed? First part, with one more planned... Time stretched for creative purposes. Set after Cassidy and before Noah. Rated M


A/N. Well, it's been a while… Nearly eight years since I last wrote anything, let alone published it (I'm scared lol). This is my first attempt at an SVU story, so please go easy on me. This is probably going to be a two-part story, unless I find some real inspiration to continue it further. All ideas welcomed and of course feedback too.  
I've stretched the timeline for the purpose of the story, starting after Cassidy and before Noah.  
I do not own the characters in this story. They are owned by the legend that is Dick Wolf.

Enjoy, Liv x

Conflict of Interest Part 1

Elliot settled back against the cool leather seat of his rental car and emitted a small sigh. He'd been parked up across from the 16th Precinct for little over two hours, watching the daily hustle pass by and fondly reminiscing about his time at SVU. It was where he'd been at his best. It was where he'd felt most at home, part of what he considered to be a top class team of Detectives. They'd brought down some of the vilest predators the city had ever encountered, working the most gruelling hours known to man, yet still having enough left in the tank to go out and do it all over again. The thrill of the chase and copious amounts of caffeine had helped the process along nicely. That was Special Victims, never monotonous and never a dull moment. During this little trip down memory lane, Elliot's mind also wandered back to his old partner…Olivia Benson.

His eyes closed momentarily, his mind taking him back to that fateful day in the squad room, the day his career inevitably came to an end... A_ll he could see was the sheer horror etched on Olivia's face as she crouched over Sister Peg, her hands covered in the woman's blood. He'd continued to stare at her, until dropping to his knees to cradle a now dead Jenna in his arms. It had all happened so fast. Yes he'd gone over it in his head, time and time again, trying to convince himself he'd done the only thing plausible given the situation. It had been a blur, yet the only thing that had stuck with him was the feeling of utter dread. Instead of Sister Peg laying dead on the floor of the squad room, it could have very easily been Olivia. The shots had rang out, mayhem had ensued and his first and only thought had been to protect her._ The mere thought of it twisted at his gut. Elliot scrubbed his hands over his face in a determined attempt the erase that thought from his mind._ "…In too deep Stabler…I.A.B are gonna be up your ass over this…The level of emotional investment in your partner is going to be questioned…"_ The Captain's voice replayed in his head.

Twelve years they'd been partners and damn good ones too. Someone had once pointed out to him, that those years were longer than some marriages lasted in todays day and age. He'd scoffed at the time, but once he'd sat and thought about it, he'd figured they could have actually been right on the money. The amount of time they'd realistically spent together, working case after case and pulling all nighters, often meant he was with her more than he was his wife. Okay, so it hadn't always been plain sailing and they'd had their ups and downs along the way. They were too similar at times, both stubborn and highly driven, some might even say dogmatic at times. Where he was sometimes inclined to react to certain situations with his temper, or his fists, Olivia was the only one who could successfully reign him in. She was smart and intuitive, her level of empathy towards victims humbling. Elliot wasn't surprised in the least when he'd found out she'd made Sergeant. If anyone had it in them to reach the top, it was always going to be Benson.

A black suv screeched to a stop outside the Precinct over the road, catching Elliot's attention and bringing him out of his reverie. He watched as the drivers door flung open and an attractive dark haired woman jumped out. His mouth curled into a smile of recognition and an unexpected fluttering sensation in his stomach caught him off guard… Three years, almost to the day since he'd last laid eyes on her. She looked good, really good in fact, but it wasn't as though he'd expected any different. Her hair was slightly different he noted, a tad shorter, but those stunning features he'd been used to seeing most days certainly hadn't waned… Wearing black slacks, her gun at her hip and her police issue bulletproof vest, Olivia moved to the rear door of the vehicle. She wasted no time extracting a handcuffed suspect and closed the door behind him. Elliot immediately noticed her facial expressions and her body language gave away the fact she was definitely riled. When the perp started to struggle and resist against the hold on his arm, Elliot's suspicions about her mood were soon confirmed. This prick, whatever he'd done, had not been an easy takedown. He watched as Olivia's elbow made rapid contact with his ribs, causing him to wince as she then slammed his body into the side of the car. She moved in close to his ear and obviously uttered something that made him realise she wasn't taking any of his shit. Funnily enough, he straightened up and decided to stop resisting.

Elliot couldn't help but laugh. "That's my girl." He said out loud, continuing to watch as she and a Latino cop disappeared into the building with the suspect in tow.

Amaro. Even though he was no longer on the force, Elliot had done his homework when it came to his successor and was relieved to discover that Detective Nick Amaro was in fact, a decent cop. It helped that he still had buddies at the NYPD and also that he'd been back in contact with his old Captain. Although Cragen had retired, he was still in the know and more importantly, still had regular contact with Olivia. They'd met for coffee a few months previous at Elliot's repeated insistence. He'd been working away but a friend had been in touch, giving him the heads up about his former partners near death experience, at the hands of psychopath William Lewis. It was bad. His head had gone. As soon as he'd touched down at JFK, Elliot had made his way straight to Connecticut to meet with Cragen. For the first time ever, he'd opened up about his true feelings and literally poured his heart out across the table in the coffee shop. Cragen had listened, nodded as Elliot explained his reasoning for leaving so quickly and why he felt unable to talk it through with Benson first. Leaning in, Don had told him what he honestly thought. He'd told Elliot about Olivia's failed relationship with Brian Cassidy and just how fragile she'd been after her horrific ordeal with Lewis. He'd told him to stay away, not for his sake, but for hers. He'd taken the Captain's advice at first and concentrated his focus on his kids for the remainder of his visit home. Not long after, another job came in and he was once again taking off overseas. A welcomed distraction was the only way he'd looked at it.

Elliot reached for his cellphone from the passenger seat and clicked on the message icon. He typed out a new message, paused for a few moments as he read it back to himself and then swiftly deleted it. With a shake of his head to try and bring back some clarity, Elliot typed out one word and hit send before he bottled it again. Okay, so it wasn't the elaborate message he'd intended to send, but it was something at least. Maybe he'd get a response. Hopefully Olivia's naturally inquisitive nature would force her to reply. Maybe that one word could be the opening he needed. Cranking the car to life, he threw his phone back down onto the seat next to him and pulled away from the curb. There was no easy way to deal with the array of emotions he'd been experiencing lately and if he was completely honest with himself, Elliot was scared. He didn't know what he'd do if his ex partner refused to hear him out, but one thing was for sure, he wouldn't stop trying until she did. One way or another, he was going to ensure Olivia Benson was part of his life once more.

~*~*~*DUN*DUN*~*~*~

Olivia removed her bulletproof vest and clipped her shield onto her belt. When preparing to enter the interrogation room, she liked to make a point of displaying her authority over the suspect and show them, she was the one in charge. She searched through a stack of files on her desk and let out an audible sigh. Olivia was worn out, mentally and physically. The caseload had been relentless over the past week and although she hadn't been home in two days, the pile of files didn't seem to be getting any smaller. A decent nights sleep seemed something of a distant memory and although she'd managed to grab a few hours in the cribs, she still longed to climb into the comfort of her own bed. _Suck it up!_ Olivia inwardly scorned herself, knowing it was her responsibility to keep this show going and that she wasn't the only one suffering. They were understaffed, overstretched and the whole team were having to step up, working overtime to close these cases. She didn't know if it was anything to do with the full moon beaming over the city, but it seemed every depraved sicko had decided to come out of the woodwork at once. Finding the brown file she was looking for, Olivia opened it up and scanned through it.

Fin appeared in the doorway to the office. "Hey Sarge. The creep in the cage is running his mouth, something about police brutality." He said dryly, nodding his head back towards the squad room.

"He'll get over it." Olivia fired back, a little too curtly. She didn't even look up from what she was reading. "Is there anything back on the DNA from the Forest case?"

"Yeah, that's what I was just coming to tell you. It's a positive match for Deakin." Replied Fin, watching as his Sergeant looked up from her notes. "Fool got sloppy." He added, knowing it'd be music to her ears.

"Moving around her desk, Olivia pulled her cellphone from her back pocket. "Take Rollins. Go pick him up." She ordered, glancing at her phone as she took a seat in the large chair. "I'll update Barba."

Her second in command left the office without another word, leaving Olivia sat looking down at the phone in her hand. Her brow knitted into a frown as she read the message notification on the lock screen…**Sorry**…it was obvious whoever had sent the cryptic message was not on her contact list and all she could see is that it had been sent from a cell with a Manhattan area code. Shaking her head, Olivia opened her phone and went straight to her contact list to call A.D.A Barba. She was in a foul mood, had perps piling up in the cage and she wasn't about to start playing 'Guess Who?' with an unknown number. It was still early morning and all she wanted to do was get into a hot shower and sip leisurely on a decent cup of coffee. That was a long way off happening, but Olivia promised herself regardless of how many open cases they were left with by this evening, she was sending her team home for a rest. None of them would be of any use if they were all burned out and they had definitely worked their asses off over the past few days. No one could ever question her squads dedication to the job. Taking a moment to relax back into her chair, Olivia hit call and waited for Barba to answer.

~*~*~*DUN*DUN*~*~*~

Going back to sit outside the Precinct had actually paid off. Elliot had used the day to run errands and tie up a few loose ends, before heading back to where he'd caught sight of Olivia early that morning. He noted her vehicle was still parked up where she'd left it and he'd already convinced himself that he'd sit here all night if he had to. Smiling to himself, Elliot kept his gaze on the front of the building…_ It was just like being back on the job, waiting and watching. A good old stake out_… Around forty minutes later and thankfully before his ass had gone numb, Elliot spied Olivia leaving with Fin and Rollins. They didn't head for vehicles, instead they headed up the block on foot and it didn't take a genius to work out where they were going._ Jimmy's_. One of the well known bars in the area, largely frequented by off duty law enforcement and anyone looking for a laidback establishment to sink a few cold ones in. Again, the place brought back a few great memories for Elliot, thinking back to celebrating closing a case with the rest of the squad.

Fin and Olivia took a seat at a high table at one end of the bar, whilst Amanda went to grab a round of drinks for the three of them. The place was surprisingly busy for midweek, but with basketball highlights being shown on a tv on the wall, Fin was glad Rollins had suggested dropping in for a few. They needed the downtime. They needed a break from dealing with the scum that roamed the streets of New York City. Nick had turned down the offer, choosing to head off home to catch up with some much needed sleep instead and Olivia had only agreed to stay for one drink.

Taking a glass of wine from Amanda when she returned from the bar, Olivia smiled her appreciation. "Thanks for your hard work guys." She said, raising her glass to them. "This week has been a _total_ bitch… and it's only Wednesday.

Raising her glass of beer, Amanda nodded in agreement at her boss's last statement. "Oh, I hear ya on that one." She replied, taking a long swig of her amber coloured drink.

"It's all good Liv." Fin responded, taking a sip of his own drink before his attention was back on the television above the bar.

The three of them started to relax, making small talk and trying desperately to keep the topic of conversation light. That was one of Fin's stipulations before he'd entered the bar. No talking shop. The two women had no problem with that whatsoever. The conversation actually turned to the disastrous date Rollins had been on the previous week and pretty soon it progressed into a humorous discussion comparing crappy dates. Even Fin had a few stories to tell, giving a brief insight into his usually guarded private life. Whoever said laughter was the best medicine, had been absolutely right. All of them relished the lightheartedness of it all, knowing full well it would be back to all things serious once back on the job in a few hours.

Sipping on her red wine, Olivia was starting to feel her body giving up on her at the idea of sleep. She figured even with the loud noise of conversations going on around the crowded bar, if she closed her eyes for even a few seconds, she might actually drift off. Luckily the drive home wouldn't take too long at this time of night. Ten, fifteen minutes at tops. Checking her watch, Olivia downed the last contents of her glass and placed it on the table in front of her. She was about to make her excuses and call it a night, when Jimmy calling her name from behind the bar caught her attention.

"Hey Benson!" Called the bar owner, trying to make himself heard over the din of the room. "Compliments of the gentleman at the end of the bar." He finished, reaching over and handing her a freshly pulled glass of beer.

"Erm, okay." Olivia replied, taking the drink and placing it down in front of her. "Thanks Jimmy." She added, slightly bemused as she scanned the length of the bar, looking for a face she recognised so she could thank them.

No-one. There were a few people she knew, but they were all deep in conversation or propping up the bar, engrossed in whatever sport was now showing on the tv. Olivia frowned. Her mind instantly drifted back to that morning and the random anonymous text message she'd received. She'd been that busy, that she hadn't given it another thought until now. Maybe it was nothing, but call it cops intuition, something didn't quite feel right. Scanning the entire room once more, Olivia was trying to see if anyone stood out as looking out of place. Again, nothing.

"Looks like Sarge has got herself a secret admirer." Fin commented, giving her a wink as she slid the unwanted drink over towards him.

Amanda laughed, looking around the room herself trying to work out who it could be. "I need to get myself one of those."

"I thought you were sworn off guys as of last week." Fin said, shaking his head at the blonde. "See this is why I'm on my own man." He whined. "It's a ball ache trying to work you damn women out."

Picking up her bag, Olivia stood from the table. "That's me done." She exclaimed, letting a small laugh escape her at Fin's last statement. "You sure you're okay running point first thing?" She asked him, wondering if she'd been unfair asking him to take charge of the next shift.

Fin nodded. "Yeah. I'll be good after a few hours in the cribs and a cup of that awful coffee Nick's got in there. That shit could strip your insides I'm tellin' ya." He responded, hearing Rollins laugh and nod her head in agreement at the part about the coffee. "There's a BOLO in place for Deakin, but I'll call if he gets picked up before you get in.

"Great." Olivia replied, placing her phone in her bag. "See you tomorrow guys. Get some rest." She added, starting to make her way through the crowd of patrons. "That's an order." She called back over her shoulder.

Olivia pushed her way to the door, fishing her car keys out of her bag as she did. She'd been annoyed that her suspect for a serious sexual assault was in the wind and that her team had been unable to locate him all day, despite their best efforts. Right now, she couldn't dwell on it. There was an alert out for uniform to be on the lookout for his vehicle and hopefully by the morning, he'd be locked up in the tombs. Tomorrow was another day and right now, Olivia's main priority was to get herself home and simply crash out. Walking the block back to the Precinct to collect her car, her thoughts were on the text message and drink that had just been bought for her. Beer. She hadn't touched the stuff in years unless it was the only option and these days, she mostly opted for a nice glass of Californian red instead. That clarified a few things for her. Whoever sent the drink over obviously didn't know her, so by all accounts it could simply have been some chancer trying his luck with her and then getting cold feet.

Watching as Olivia climbed into her black suv, Elliot knew she'd be heading back to her apartment for the night. It was now or never. He needed to see her face to face. He needed to explain why he'd left her like he had. Waiting until she'd pulled away from the front of the building, Elliot started his car and tailed her vehicle, using his old training techniques to ensure she didn't make him. His mind raced as he thought about being in close proximity to her and once again the butterflies from earlier made an unexpected return. He'd decided it was probably going to go one of two ways; she was either going to welcome him with open arms, or she was going to refuse point blank to hear him out. Elliot inwardly prayed it wasn't the latter, although god knows he deserved it.

She had almost reached the sanctity of home and as she exited her vehicle outside her apartment block, Olivia welcomed the idea that in just a few short minutes, she'd be standing under the hot cascading water of her shower. Yes there were facilities back at the station which were handy for a quick fix, but there was nothing quite like home. Using a key fob to open the electronic entrance door of the apartment block, Olivia took to the stairs to reach the second floor. She was already past the first landing and a few steps up, when something suddenly crossed her mind. The entrance door. There had been no noise to signal the fact it had clicked closed fully behind her. Footsteps. Footsteps coming up the stairs behind her. A shiver ran down Olivia's spine, thoughts of some predator waiting to attack her fleeting through her head.._no, no, no_...Cop mode instantaneously took over, her breathing quickened and the sudden rush of adrenalin kicked in. She quietly placed her bag on the ground, backed up against the wall and reached for her weapon. Her arms braced as she slid the safety catch off, all her senses heightened as she heard the footsteps getting closer. A shadow appeared on the wall of the subtly lit staircase and seconds later a figure followed, as a man reached the landing a few steps bellow her. Olivia trained the gun on her target, her finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger. He turned to continue the climb up the stairs, but stopped dead in his tracks when he realised she was right there and he was now staring down the barrel of her Glock.

Instinctively his arms slowly raised above his head and Elliot's gaze continued upwards. "Hey Liv." He breathed, immediately locking eyes with his former partner.

~*~*~*DUN*DUN*~*~*~

Olivia's hand shook slightly, as her eyes locked with a familiar pair of baby blues. Her finger moved from the trigger as a jagged breath hitched in her throat, the sound of his voice ringing out in her ears. Three years. Three long painful years since she'd last laid eyes on this son of a bitch and now he was stood here in front of her like it was only yesterday. Slowly holstering her gun after replacing the safety, Olivia worked on regulating her breathing when she realised she hadn't actually taken a breath for a fair few seconds. Her head was swimming. Her eyes now breaking contact with his as she tried desperately to regain some sort of composure. An ache in her chest consumed her. It didn't take a now trembling Olivia long to realise, it was the exact same feeling she'd experienced when Cragen had broken the news of her partners departure… _"Elliot put his papers in. There was nothing I could do."…_ The memories came flooding back like a sucker punch to the gut. _Closing herself away in the interrogation room, unable to control the pain as her silent sobs escaped her and the salty tears fell. The total sense of sudden loss had been almost indescribable. For weeks it hadn't gotten any better, when realisation set in and Elliot had failed to respond to any of her calls. Twelve years and that was it. He'd coldly cut her off and out of his life._

This was all too much. Olivia bent down to scoop up her bag from the stairs and retrieved her keys from where she'd placed them in her blazer pocket. Elliot stood motionless as he watched her then turn her back on him, right before she climbed the final few steps and walked the short distance to the door of her apartment. His heart was now practically thumping against his chest cavity as he did the same, taking two steps at a time in order to keep up with her. Watching her fumble with her key in the lock, Elliot could see his surprise appearance had really rocked her and the only thing he wanted to do was take her into his arms and hold her body close to his. Okay, so her demeanour hadn't exactly been welcoming and she hadn't even spoken a word to him yet, but on the bright side, she hadn't shot him either. Seconds later Olivia was walking into her apartment, throwing her bag down onto the armchair and shrugging off her jacket. She was fully aware of his presence behind her and the sound of the door closing quietly behind him.

Elliot moved closer towards her and reached out to place his hand on her shoulder. He felt her body tense under his touch. "Talk to me Liv." He almost whispered, fighting the feeling of his heart sinking as he turned her body to face him. "Please say something."

Slowly raising her head, Olivia peered straight into her ex partners eyes and blinked back her tears. The air around them was now oppressive, the atmosphere tense. Three whole years of pent up emotion, bubbling under the surface like a volcano on the verge of erupting. She'd mulled this scenario over in her mind more than a few times in the past and imagined how she'd handle the situation, if the time ever came. Well that time was now, yet all those thoughts had abandoned her in a flash.

Studying his face for a few seconds, Olivia took a calming breath. "You were supposed to have my back Elliot." She finally said, her tone low and her voice somewhat raspy. "What the fuck happened?"

Olivia's words rang out in Elliot's ears and he knew this was possibly his one and only shot at getting it all out there. It didn't take a genius to work out that she was majorly pissed, deeply hurt and probably, just seconds from physically throwing his sorry ass out of her apartment. Elliot inhaled a steadying breath into his lungs and took a moment to gather his thoughts…_Man up, Stabler!_..He coaxed, forcing himself out of his comfort zone. Showing raw emotion and airing his feelings had never come naturally to him, unless of course it involved his temper. Maybe it was a man thing. Maybe it was the fact he'd had to keep his true feelings buried for so many years. Meeting her gaze once more, Elliot found courage in the dark chocolate of her eyes. Olivia deserved an explanation and as he scanned her beautiful face staring back at him expectantly, he knew couldn't deny her.

"I was in too deep." Elliot responded, watching a look of confusion sweep across her face when he did. "I couldn't trust myself anymore.. I couldn't trust my judgement."

This was too much. Olivia turned her back on Elliot and walked over to the kitchen area, opening the cupboard next to the refrigerator with purpose. She pulled out a bottle of Bourbon, unscrewed the cap and poured out a decent measure of the dark liquor into a tumbler. The burn caught the back of her throat on the first swig, making her close her eyes momentarily. If the level of conversation was going to run this deep, she needed something to steady her nerves. She replayed his words over in her head…_In too deep... Couldn't trust my judgement..._This was hard enough to comprehend under normal circumstances, let alone sleep deprived and under immense stress.

Olivia walked over to the sofa and took a seat. "You're gonna have to give me more than that Elliot." She finally replied, staring into the contents of her glass before taking another sip. "We were partners for twelve years and that meant so little to you, that you couldn't even have the common decency to tell me you wanted out?" She continued, her tone calm and even as she raised her head to look at him. "Do you know how much that hurt?.. Do you not think I deserved an explanation, not just as your partner, but as your friend?"

Slowly nodding his head, Elliot walked over to where she was sitting and took a seat on the edge of the coffee table directly in front of her. "I know I hurt you Liv. I know…" He started, dipping his head so he could look her in the eye. "…I'm so, so sorry. You've got to understand, that was never my intention."

"So what was it, huh? Tell me." Olivia shot back at him, her voice slightly raised now. "You knew I trusted you implicitly. You knew I'd have done everything I could to have your six with I.A.B. but you gave up without a fight." She continued, never once breaking eye contact with him as he sat less than a foot in front of her.

Elliot exhaled deeply, desperately searching for the right words to say… This emotional heart to heart shit was not him, not him at all, but he knew he had to dig deep. He knew as far as Olivia was concerned, this was three years too late, but she didn't understand how hard it was for him to just come right out and say it. It had been buried for years, many years and it wasn't as easy as it seemed to simply pour everything out to the woman you'd secretly been in love with for so long. That was the crux of it. That's what it all boiled down to. He'd rehearsed this over and over, but the god damn words just wouldn't come. The years of working next to her so closely, the way she'd entrusted him with her inner feelings over the years. Hell, they'd both been well aware of the rumours that had circulated the precinct on and off. He wasn't certain, but there had most likely been bets taken on if they had or hadn't slept together.

He was about to come clean, about to lay everything on the line, when a message alert sounded on Olivia's cellphone and made him stop. His momentum was gone. Placing her now empty glass down on the coffee table next to Elliot's leg, Olivia reached for her phone from her back pocket. She peered at the message on her lock screen, unaware that Elliot also had a clear view.

**Rhodes: You free? Fancy blowing off some steam?**

She opened the message and quickly typed a reply, locking the phone and throwing it down to her side on the sofa. Looking back up at her ex partner, it immediately became apparent that he'd seen the text. Elliot was near enough glaring at her, his jaw clenched and that little muscle in his cheek twitching overtime. Olivia knew that look. She knew it all too well. It was the look he'd had on his face years ago, right after he'd found out she'd been seeing Cassidy the first time round. It was the look he'd worn when learning about any of the guys she'd dated and he didn't approve of. At first she thought it was purely because he was looking out for her, overprotective maybe, but then someone had pointed out it was obviously something more than that.

"You're fucking Rhodes from Narcotics?" Elliot questioned, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them once more.

"Homicide." Retorted Olivia, watching his eyes narrow at her. "Not that it has anything to do with you who I'm fucking." She snapped, knocking his legs out the way so she could get up from the sofa to refill her glass.

That's exactly what it was. Olivia and Adam Rhodes had been on a couple of dates. They'd got along, shared a few laughs, but both agreed that they weren't looking for anything serious at the time. They were two consenting adults, both in high pressure roles and had no problem calling on one another when the need to decompress arose. It was just sex, nothing more, nothing less. Often it was over in minutes; a quick fuck, the release they both needed and then he was gone. Some people wouldn't approve and god knows any half decent shrink would have a field day analysing the reasoning behind it, but it was what it was. Olivia may have been pissed before, but now she was really pissed. The past three days had completely ruined her, she was tired as hell and now Elliot _fucking_ Stabler was back from nowhere, with an opinion on her private life. Taking a sip of her second Bourbon, Olivia was starting to feel the benefit of the alcohol. She eyed up Elliot, who had now stood up and was pacing the floor of her living room. He was slowly massaging the back of his neck, obviously trying to disperse the built up tension his current situation had brought. Olivia had seen this side of Elliot countless times over the years and knew it was his way of trying to deal with the rage that was surging through him at the time.

_What the hell has he got to be angry about?_ She asked herself. He was the one that caused all this. He was the one who ran away, not having the balls to face up to his actions. Those actions had consequently impacted on her own wellbeing. When his exit from the force had finally sank in, Olivia had began to question her own ability to give her all to the roll of an SVU Detective. It had hit her hard, harder than anyone truly knew.

Elliot was still pacing, obviously his mind still running away with him. The way this was playing out, was almost surreal. Olivia downed the second shot of liquor and slammed the tumbler down on the worktop. She'd given him ample opportunity to explain himself and now she'd had enough. Alcohol, sleep deprivation and the overall shock of his reappearance, was about to bring out the worst in her. Badass Benson was on the verge of making her presence known, hopefully before he wore a hole in her god damn carpet.

"Why don't you just punch a hole in my wall Stabler." Olivia sniped, her arms now folded tightly in front of her as she watched him then turn to face her. "Go on, do it. Let it _all_ out!" She added, staring him straight in the eye as he then moved closer to her.

Elliot came to a stop a few feet away from her. "Is it serious between you two?" He asked, noticing the fiery glint in her eye that warned him she was nearly done.

Olivia shook her head incredulously. "This is ridiculous." She answered, her arms unfolding so she could rake her hands through her hair. "It's sex Elliot. Just sex." She continued, now completely exasperated with this whole conversation. "Why are you so bothered? Why do you care about who I chose to sleep with?"

It was now or never.

"Because I love you Olivia." Elliot exclaimed, stepping closer to where she was stood before him. "I have done for many years…" He continued, searching her face for some sign that she understood his sincerity. "…Years I've kept the fact that I'm in love with you buried. Years of seeing you date other guys, killing me inside." He finished, reaching out to tenderly place his hand on the side of her face.

His words hit her like a freight train and Olivia took in a sharp intake of air, flinching against his touch… _He loved her? In love?_…Her dark eyes were fixated on his face, now mere inches from her own. Elliot couldn't hold back any longer. His lips were on hers. His hand sliding from her cheek to the back of her head and his other hand grabbing her waist to pull her flush against his body. Olivia resisted his hold, placing her hands on his chest so that she could push him away with force. She was shaking her head, backing away from him and breathing hard at the intensity of his actions. Her head was spinning, his words rattling around as she tried to process what had just declared.

"Liv?" Elliot uttered in barely a whisper, trying to reach out to take her hand.

Olivia held her hand up to silence him. The feeling of anger now engulfing her entire being. She narrowed her eyes at him and desperately resisted the urge to slap him right across the face…_What the fuck was he thinking? Did he think he could just turn up out of the blue, tell her he loved her and then just expect everything to be okay? Not a chance it was going to be that easy for him. No way…_ Olivia steadied her breathing and closed her eyes for a few moments to gather herself. When she eventually opened them, she couldn't escape the expression of hurt on her ex partner's face. It was time to shut this thing down. It was time for her to take back control.

"I'm sure your wife wouldn't be too happy with your confession Stabler." Olivia hissed, turning her back on him and reaching for her bag sat on the armchair. "I'm done with talking." She continued, then grabbing her phone from the sofa.

Elliot shook his head, the feeling of defeat making his stomach lurch. "I'm divorced." He spluttered out in haste, watching her gathering up her belongings in a hurried manner.

"And _I'm_ going to bed." Olivia announced in return, not even gifting him with a sidewards glance. "Close the door behind you on the way out." She finished, walking down the hall towards her bedroom and slamming the door closed behind her once inside.

~*~*~*DUN*DUN*~*~*~

**TBC…**


End file.
